Friday Morning Refresh | Session 1

Come, join us for a collective pause for mental hygiene curated by NCG's Senior Fellow Caitlin Brune and led by Mindfulness Coach Salina Mae. This brief period for meditation, gentle mindful movement, and quiet reflection in community is open to all skill levels. Beginners welcome! 

Research tells us that chronic stress takes a huge toll on our health. Stress elevates cortisol in the body, putting us at risk of chronic disease and hastening the aging process. Fear, which feels omnipresent for many right now, complicates stress by keeping us trapped in our reptilian brain. From this place, fight, flight, freeze, appease, or dissociate feel like the only options. Conversely, when we settle our nervous system, return to our hearts, engage our neocortex, we experience greater calm, clarity, creativity and compassion. 

In every moment, and especially under current conditions, maintaining good health is essential. This online weekly gathering will provide space to spend a few moments checking in with ourselves, settling our bodies and hearts and centering our minds. Routine engagement in these practices foster self-awareness, self-regulation, improved focus, perspective taking, and greater capacity to respond skillfully in our relationships. 

You are welcome to register for one session, multiple sessions, or all sessions in this series. The full series is scheduled for six consecutive Fridays, beginning May 1, 2020 - June 5, 2020. 

Speakers

Caitlin Brune, Senior Fellow, Northern California Grantmakers

Caitlin Brune is a philanthropic and nonprofit consultant with 25 years of nonprofit experience, including more than a decade of grantmaking experience, in roles spanning finance, development, program planning and oversight, and executive management. Most recently, Ms. Brune served as CEO of the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust, a 20 year-old nonprofit health foundation serving Pajaro Valley residents. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Health degree from University of California-Berkeley. An experiential learner with lifelong curiosity about the drivers of well-being for individuals and communities, Ms. Brune has previously trained and certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, yoga teacher, massage therapist, meditation instructor and beginning organic farmer. She volunteers as a meditation instructor at Soledad Correctional Training Facility and serves on the boards of the Santa Cruz County Integrated Health Center Commission, Santa Cruz Community Ventures, and Farm Discovery.

Salina Mae, Mindfulness coach 

Salina Mae (she/her/hers), is a Bay Area born and raised community leader with over 15 years experience serving California schools both as a K-12 classroom teacher and as a mindfulness coach and consultant. With a focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, she received her Masters in Education and California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at the Claremont Graduate University in 2006.  She specializes in building creative, inspired, and socially awake trainings and curricula that lead to action in the areas of mindfulness, social justice, and systems change. Salina is a certified yoga teacher, a dedicated mentor, and advocate for LGBTQI+ youth.

Target Audience

This program is open to everyone.

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